Countless workshops, classes, and more!

We're finally installed in our new roost on Sunset Blvd, near Sunset Junction in the heart of Silver Lake. It's a terrific spot-- a warm and welcoming environment with a teaching kitchen and creative workshop space. Please come visit! We stock homesteading supplies and the inspiration for D.I.Y. adventures of all sorts; plus we're thrilled to announce a mouth-watering schedule of new classes and workshops.

We're now offering classes in all these luscious subjects... and more! Classes for adults meet on weekends and sometimes evenings during the week.

Our kids' workshop calendar has greatly expanded, as well! We now provide after-school classes every week on a rotating schedule to make time for each kid's busy schedule. Young folks can learn to cook (including lots of no-bake recipes), garden, and recycle things to make cool new stuff and creative gifts. Most classes are for children aged 6 and up, and parents are encouraged to drop off their kids, although sticking around to watch is always fine, too.

Visit our shop to pick up a calendar, or check out the listings here. We're always adding more, so check back regularly to see what's new.

We encourage pre-registration, as some classes fill up fast. Pop into the Roost to register. Tickets to all events and full course descriptions are also available in our online store right here.

Don't forget! The gift of DIY makes a terrific present! We offer gift certificates for single workshops, series of classes, any item in our store, or cash-value in any amount.

When you get right down to it, what the heck *IS* yogurt in the first place? Yogurt is milk that has been cultured with one or more strains of lactobacillus-- bacteria that eat sugar, turning it into lactic acid. That's where yogurt gets its tangy flavor.

Why would we want our milk full of bacteria? Good question.

Like a bunch of other fermented foods, yogurt contains beneficial probiotics. These tiny organisms live naturally in our gut, helping to break down our food and making nutrients bioavailable. They also crowd out the harmful bacteria, helping to maintain a healthy digestive track. Lacto-fermentation is a natural food preserver, and it's responsible for many of the delicious and nutritious foods we love, like cheese, pickles, beer, sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and even sourdough bread.

Making yogurt at home is fast and easy, and you end up with a pure product that contains none of the added sugar, corn syrup, flavors, colors, thickening agents, preservatives and chemicals that are often found in store-bought yogurt. All you need is milk and a starter culture-- which is about a half cup of your favorite yogurt to kick things off.

Warm your milk, add your cultures, and let nature do the rest. A yogurt fermenter makes your job even easier, maintaining a steady 95 -100 degrees F while your yogurt incubates. But even that is optional as long as you have a warm spot to let your yogurt get going. Watch this week's video to see just how easy it is to have homemade yogurt!

Valentine's Day doesn't have to suck! You don't need to shell out tons of money or hours of your precious time to make your honeylamb feel loved. You don't have to be the most artsy, crafty, inspired and inventive person on earth to make something from scratch that's romantic, sensual, and beautiful. Because today, as our Valentine gift to you we bring you one of our favorite secrets-- you can make your own bath bombs at home... in one night... for just a few bucks... with stuff you find at the grocery store and around the house.

Just watch the video below to get all the details. You'll need baking soda, corn starch, citric acid, epsom salts, oil, and water. THAT'S IT. Forget expensive soap molds. You can use pretty much anything you have lying around to shape your luscious bath bombs: muffin tins, plastic Easter Eggs or Christmas ornaments, cookie cutters, you name it. Roe shows you how to slice a tennis ball in half for the perfect spherical mold.

In this demonstration, we made our favorite flavor-- orange creamsicle, using orange and vanilla essential oils. Smells so good, you'll want to gobble it up. We also added fresh oat flour for extra soothing relaxation. But you can go nuts trying various flavors and combinations of your own, adding spices, colors, decorative touches. Present your bombs in cute baskets, egg cartons, bowls, or bags. Be sure to seal and protect them so the moisture in the air doesn't destroy their fizzy powers before they hit the bath water.

This Valentine's Day, have a blast making bath bombs and spoiling your sugarpie without breaking the bank or resorting to commercialism and clichés. And from all of us at the King's Roost, WE LOVE YOU, TOO!

As they say, it's the thought that counts. So who are you thinking about this Valentine's Day? When looking for thoughtful ideas for your sweetheart, look no further than the Roost. We have unique, creative gifts at every price range. Below are five of our favorites to get you thinking of ideas. Need more inspiration? Come in and check out the shop!

# 1: AQUADORABLE MINI-AQUAPONIC SYSTEM

With a tiny footprint and no need for a power supply, this super sweet little symbiotic fish-and-plant set-up can go anyplace. You can grow herbs, flowers, even lettuce in it. A cute little betta or goldfish feeds the plants; the plants pull nitrates and ammonia out of the water, reducing water changes and eliminating the need for a traditional filter. We have a variety of colors, designs, and sizes to choose from, starting at $39.95.

#2: HOMEMADE ORGANIC SOAP

We have tons of flavors of our own, handmade soap. We use only the purest natural ingredients. Buy a sweet-smelling bar for your honeypie. Or create a sampler pack of your favorite flavors. Or grab our recipe and supplies to make your own from scratch! $4.75 per bar.

#3: SPROUT GARDEN

This complete sprout starter kit comes with everything you need to grow a three-tiered sprout garden in less than a week. In a few days, you'll have a bumper crop variety of fresh, organic sprouts, and all you need to do is add water and follow the directions. You can use and re-use it over and over-- grow sprouted grains, wheat grass, seeds, and beans like lentils, mung and adzuki! $27.95

#4: MUSHROOM FARM

Honestly, what could be more romantic than the gift of homegrown pink oyster mushrooms? This little kit says "I LOVE YOU" in its own unique way, with a bamboo roll of toilet paper and a sexy pack of mushroom spawn to grow your own little mushroom garden. Other mushroom varieties (even glow in the dark ones) and farms also available! $24.95

#5: SUCCULENT PLANTER

Why give flowers when you can give a stunning living plant that will last for years? We have countless varieties of succulent plants, artfully arranged in one-of-a-kind pots, bowls and planters. No plastic nursery cups here-- every plant is in a beautiful container. These guys are easy to grow and maintain. Even if your love has a black thumb, he can keep one of these alive. If not, we'll replace it for free! Starting at $4 each.

No matter how you celebrate this Valentine's Day, hope it's full of love and laughs. And check out our blog and youtube channel on DIY Tuesday this week for even MORE gift ideas you can create yourself.

We've gotten really into making homemade soda at our house lately. Let's be honest-- sometimes, the stuff we get excited about here at the Roost (growing fava beans! making tofu! composting chicken crap!) doesn't really turn our kids on. But making soda? THEY'RE DOWN WITH THAT. There are so many delicious varieties-- your salivary glands will explode just imagining them. Honeydew mint? Vanilla pear? Pomegranate basil? Balsamic date? Homemade tonic water? Sour cherry cola? Cocoa chile tingler? Sparkling apricot nectar? Raspberry white tea spritzer? Lavender grape migraine buster? TOO MANY TO NAME. And if you're at all like Trish and me, the exotic cocktail possibilities just increase the excitement geometrically. Check out this great book at our store-- it's all inside.

And your kids can get onboard, not just because all kids like soda and because the flavors and combinations are endlessly exciting and intoxicating, but because these recipes are fast and simple. So they can create them with you and enjoy the process of making something from scratch. You can play with different types of natural sweeteners and the quantities you use. These drinks are healthier, lower in sugar, completely free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. You don't even need a soda machine, CO2 cartridge, or seltzer water to make them.

We'll start things out nice and easy with this homemade ginger ale recipe. Very basic and straightforward.. Making ginger ale yourself is so fast and such a no-brainer, you may never buy ginger ale again. But just wait. In the weeks to come, we have countless soda secrets to share. So cut your teeth on this one. And if you go down the soda rabbit hole like we have, let us know your favorite flavors and best discoveries. We'll trade secrets.

Got a fish tank at home? If your house is anything like ours, the job of changing water and cleaning filters can be a drag. Plus, if you stop to think about it, you're tossing a lot of prime fertilizer down the drain. Fish poop is full of good stuff plants love. Why not feed it to them and let nature clean up your fish's mess for you?

Plants thrive on the nitrates, ammonia, and micronutrients in fish waste. By cycling your tank's water through plant roots, you can pull out the waste, while nourishing plants at the same time. You get fewer water changes, no messy filter to clean, and a bonus house plant (even herbs or leafy greens!) that never requires feeding or watering. Just imagine-- filter your fish tank with aquaponics today, and you could be eating a delicious salad made from fish poop tomorrow.

It's a symbiotic win-win for everyone. And if you already have a tank of fish in your home, you're 90% of the way there. Watch this week's video... in under 3 minutes, you'll learn everything you need to take the next step and become AQUAPONIC !

You can toast the oats if you feel like it, but that's optional. And beyond that, no oven is necessary, making this an especially great recipe for kids to whip up. Feel free to try all kinds of substitutions-- maple syrup or agave can replace the honey.... walnuts, pecans, macadamia, cashews, or other nuts can take the place of the almonds.... butterscotch, carob, white chocolate, or yogurt chips can be used instead of chocolate-- or leave them out altogether. You can add sunflower seeds, chia, flax, coconut, dried cherries, blueberries, or cranberries. Get creative and let us know what recipes work best for you.

Watch the video, and in under three and a half minutes, you'll have the full scoop. Wanna taste? Come to The King's Roost from 5-7pm on Wednesday, January 21, for National Granola Bar Day. We'll be serving up champagne and several different flavors of our own homemade granola bars. Better yet, if you bring samples of your own granola bar recipe for others to try, we'll give you a free pound of fresh-rolled whole oats for your next batch!

At the King's Roost, we love aquaponics. And nothing grows better in fish poop than HERBS AND SPICES. We have them coming out of our ears-- mint, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage-- and they go into everything. Fresh herbs liven up all your foods, drinks, and snacks. Put them in juices, water, and tea... salads, fresh produce, and sauces... garnishes! You can even sprinkle herbs on your cheese plate or cracker bowl to add a burst of flavor. But whether you buy fresh herbs or grow them at home, you've probably found that quite a bit usually goes to waste. The solution? Freeze your excess herbs into an HERBSICLE!

We sell a handy little device that compresses and freezes your zesty herbs into a push-up pop so you can slice garden-fresh goodness into discs or grate directly onto all your favorite salads, sauces, fruits, dressings, cocktails, and soft drinks. Forget your dried out old spice rack-- you can have fresh herbs all year, whenever you need them. This clever little gadget even has an erasable label so you can easily identify, name, and rename your herbs and spice blends.

Watch this quickie video; Roe shows you just how easy and convenient it is!

Happy holidays, everyone! Our kids are out of school for roughly seven thousand years-- how about yours? So this week, we turned DIY Tuesday over to them, since they had some extra time on their hands. Our 11-year-old, Walter, is a master cookie maker, and he took the reins in order to bring you one of his very best recipes-- apricot cherry white chocolate oatmeal cookies, made from scratch. He even mills his own wheat berries and rolls his own oats, although you can certainly buy yours at the store, instead.

It's ridiculous how fast, fun, and affordable it is for kids to make treats for eating and sharing. And sure, these cookies contain butter and sugar and whatnot, but using 100% whole meal and fresh live grains makes you feel much better about letting the wee ones pig out on a decadent and delicious snack.

Author

I'm Roe. I opened the King's Roost because I'm fanatical about making as many of the things my family eats and uses on a daily basis as possible. It FEELS GOOD to make stuff... and eat it... and use it... and SHARE it. My mission: I want what I'm passionate about to be easy and fun for everyone.